Glare eliminating device



July 25, 1944. s. s. SHERRILL GLARE ELIMINATING DEVICE Filed April 10, 1942 Quill? VIIIIII'IIIIII i 3 Z lNl/EN TOP $.S.SHEPRILL A rrop/vsr Patented July 25, 1944 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE GLARE ELIMINATING DEVICE Sloan S. Sheri-ill, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New

York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 10, 1942, Serial No. 438,449

2 Claims.

The invention relates to glare eliminating devices and, more particularly, to glare shields for skylights.

Buildings which are 'of such dimensions that their interiors receive very little light from the windows in their outer walls are quite generally provided with angled roofs having inclined skylights to light their interiors. In the past, it has been the practice to use either translucent glass panes in the skylight or motor controlled Venetian blinds and the like to eliminate the direct glare of the sun's rays in the area below the skylight. Theuse of translucent glass panes in the skylights is disadvantageous in that it greatly reduces the amount of light which would normally pass through the skylights were they made of transparent glass. Motor controlled Venetian blinds are expensive and require considerable upkeep.

An object of this invention is to provide devices for eliminating glare and, more particularly, to provide shields for skylights for eliminating glare in an area below the skylights.

A glare eliminating device embodying the invention comprises a plurality of opaque panels aflixed to one another and positioned within a frame including a portion of the superstructure of the building in which the device is located. The panels are positioned adjacent a window or skylight at'such an angle thereto as to eliminate glare from an area below the window or skylight.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a glare eliminating device suspended from an A- shaped roof;

Fig, 2 is a fragmentary side view of the glare eliminating device as seen from the left in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a modification of the glare eliminating device; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of another modification of the glare eliminating device.

In the particular embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, a plurality of panels ill-l of an opaque material have flanges I l--l l formed about their peripheries. These panels I 0-H) are preferably constructed of sheet metal, but may be formed from any material which is opaque and suitably rigid. It is desirable for the purpose of this invention to paint these panels white in order to increase the amount of light reflected thereby. The length of the panels |0--lfl may be varied to suit the particular requirements of any particular lighting problem.

The panels l0l0 are secured to one another by bolts |2l2 extending through the flanges Illl of the adjacent panels I0-lll to form a shield. A plurality of tabs l4l4 (Fig. 20 are formed on the bottom of each of the panels Ill-I0 and extend downwardly into an opening in a truss or beam l5, which forms a portion of the superstructure of the building in which the glare eliminating device is located. Thus, the shield formed by the panels l0l0 is securely positioned on and supported by the beam IS. A flat metal bar It extends the entire length of the shield across the top of the panels Illl0 and is bolted to each of the panels by bolts l'l-ll. The bar It and beam I5 combine to provide a frame for the shield formed by the panels Ill-l 0. V-shaped supports l8-l8 are affixed to the underside of a peak I9 in an A-shaped roof, just above skylights 2020, and to the top of the panels |0|0.

Fig. 3 discloses a modification of the glare eliminating device shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this modification, panels 2 l-2l similar to panels Ill-l0 shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are supported by means of arms 2222 and 23-23 secured to parallel horizontal beams 24-44, which form a portio of the superstructure of the building in which the glare eliminating device is located This manner of supporting glare shields is sometimes used to lengthen shields of the type shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Shields supported between two beams may be positioned in a manner similar to that described with reference to the shield shown in Fig. 1 or they may be positioned a considerable distance below the skylights in line between an area to be protected from glare and the skylight.

Fig. 4 discloses a method of mounting a plurality of panels 25-25, similar to panels Ill-Ill shown in Figs, 1 and 2, at an angle of with respect to beams 2626 and 21-21. Bolts 28-28 extending through a channel bar 30 which is welded to the beams 2626, securely position the top of the panels 2525. A plurality of supporting bars 3 l-3l are attached to struts 3232 which form a part of the superstructure of the building and rigidly position the lower portion of panels 2525 attached thereto by means of bolts 34. This manner of mounting shields is used when it is desired to eliminate the glare from an area extending longitudinally at right angles to the skylights and, consequently, at right angles to the beams. For example, such a shield as is shown in Fig. 4 may be positioned with respect to a southerly facing skylight so as to eliminate from an area below the skylight the glare caused by the early morning and late afternoon sun.

Figs. 3 and 4 merely disclose two out of a great many arrangements for utilizin he superstructure of buildings in which the glare eliminating device are to be located, as means for supporting the glare eliminating device.

The glare shield for skylights above described may be used on any type of angle roof, and will eliminate glare or excess light without reducing the normal light or ventilation obtained through the skylights. The cost of glare shields hereinabove described is approximately one-fourth of the cost of Venetian blinds and require no upkeep other than painting, which may be done at the same time that the superstructure of the building is painted. The cost or the motor controls to operate Venetian blinds and similar light controlling devices is also eliminated.

In certain types of roofs one glare shield will eliminate the glare from two skylights, thus performing the function of two sets of Venetian blinds.

What is claimed is:

1. A glare shield for skylights in A-shaped roofs, which comprises a plurality of flat, sheet metal panels having inwardly bent portions along their peripheries, means for securing the panels to one another at their inwardly bent portions so as to form an elongated shield, a bar extending the entire length of the shield and afiixed to the top of each of the panels, a plurality of V-shaped support bars secured to a portion of a roof and to the top of the shield, a plurality of tabs formed on the bottom of each of the panels and secured to a horizontal member of the superstructure of the building in which the shield is located so that the shield is supported by said member, said bar and said member forming a frame for the shield and supporting said shield in a position bisecting the angle formed by a series of opposed skylights formed in the roof to eliminate glare in an area below the skylights.

2. An anti-glare device for a series of opposed skylights of an A-shaped roof comprising a plurality of flanged panels, means for securing the panels together at the end flanges to form an elongated shield, a plurality of tabs formed on the bottom of each panel and secured to a horizontal member of the superstructure of the roof extending parallel to the length of the skylights, a bar secured to the top of each of the panels and extending along the entire length of the panels, the bar and the superstructure member forming a rigid frame for the elongated shield, and a plurality of V-shaped strips secured to the bar and to the top flange of the panels and to portions of the roof, and the superstructure member and the V-shaped strips supporting the elongated shield between the series of opposed skylights in a position in which it bisects the angle formed by the series of opposed skylights to prevent rays of light from passing through the skylight directly to an area therebelow.

SLOAN S. SHERRILL. 

